Gaming Taken To A Whole New Level....

During Microsoft's press conference at E3 last night, they revealed new tech that challenges, and could very well destroy the Nintendo Wii's motion capture. 

For the first time, Microsoft unveiled "Natal." This is basically an advanced motion capture camera that can detect 3-D environment, and transfer all your body movements into a 3-D environment. It also has facial recognition and voice recognition. "Natal" will ultimately give its users a controller-free gaming experience, and a headset-free experience for fans of XBOX Live.

As tradition, Microsoft uses names of cities as code names. "Natal" is named after the Brazilian city, as a tribute to the hometown of Microsoft director, Alex Kipman.  "Natal" also means "to be born" in Latin.

"Natal" is Microsoft's attempt at broadening their audience beyond young-adult males, and maybe capture a part of Nintendo's market.

No word yet on the pricing or release date, but it is expected to launch in late 2010.

I gotta say, when Nintendo first announced their motion capture tech, I was pretty much floored! I mean, it definitely brought gaming to a new level. Now it looks like Microsoft took Nintendo's idea and vision, and kicked it up a shit load of notches!! Not only does the motion capture of "Natal" look like it works better, but the controller-free gaming experience is definitely an introduction to a new breed of gaming.

I don't currently own an XBOX 360, but "Natal" could be the one thing that could change that! When this hits, it's sure to capture people's interests (including mine), and I would totally head over to the nearest mall and pick up a console to get a taste of "Natal." Hahaha!

Let's see what Sony and Nintendo have in stored for us. Stay tuned!

What do you think? Comment!!

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8 reasons why a Mac is better than a PC

Great article I read, so I just wanted to share it to those non-believers. I have both a Mac and a PC and have used both for quite awhile. I've always thought that I needed to have a Windows based PC just in case for compatibility reasons, but now, I'm switching completely over to the Mac, running only the Mac OS rather than both. I find no more need for Windows and here are some reasons provided by www.pcadvisor.co.uk. I can definitely think of more than 8, but this one is a good start. Read Read...

While PCs may be the most widely used computer platform in the world, there are still lots of extremely rational reasons to choose a Mac running Mac OS X over a Windows PC.

Macs can leave you happier and more productive than you would have been if you'd bought a Windows system, and feeling you got good value for your money even though a Mac is never the cheapest option.

1. Macs are consistently consistent

Windows Vista reminds me of a haunted mansion - they type of place with endless wings and far-flung rooms connected by twisty staircases and secret passages. And every time Microsoft does a redecorating job (also known as an upgrade), it moves some stuff around for no apparent reason.

OS X's logical, minimalist interface simply involves fewer things that must be learned and relearned, and Apple messes less with it in new releases such as Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Bottom line: it's easier to get stuff done.

2. The joy of predictability

Anyone who's ever suffered the indignity known as a Kernel Panic knows that Macs aren't bulletproof. But logging thousands of hours both on Windows PCs from multiple manufacturers and on Macs has convinced me that the average Mac is meaningfully less flakey than the average PC.

In my experience Macs crash less, suffer from fewer inexplicable slowdowns, deal better with tight memory situations, and boot up and shut down quicker and more reliably. Also I suspect it doesn't hurt that Apple is the only company in the business that writes its own operating system and designs its own hardware.

3. Who needs security headaches?

If the internet's bad guys ever decide to pummel OS X with the same intensity that they've pounded on Windows for years, the free ride for Mac fans may end. But for now, this fact is indisputable: a Mac owner who uses no security software at all runs less risk of being infected by spyware or a virus than a Windows user who obsessively protects his or her PC.

4. Crud, or the lack thereof

Windows is an infinitely better operating system when it isn't smothered by the demoware, adware, and other unwantedware that so many PC manufacturers splay onto the Start menu, the desktop, and the System Tray.

Macs are utterly free of such junk, as well as native-to-Windows irritations like word balloons burbling out of the System Tray, Windows Activation, and User Account Control.

5. Details count

You can buy a perfectly pleasing Windows PC that matches a Mac's CPU speed, RAM, hard-drive space, and other specs for a lot less money. But it won't have an AC adaptor with hooks that let you wrap up the cord for travel, or a MagSafe connector that won't get damaged if it's accidentally yanked out of the computer.

It won't have an oversized touchpad with multitouch gestures that help you navigate through documents and around the web. And it will probably be heavier and bulkier than a comparable Mac.

6. Apple is one of the world's best software companies

Forget about all those Macs, iPods and iPhones for a moment: Apple's applications are useful, enjoyable, and innovative, from the iLife creativity suite (whose presence on every new Mac is in itself an argument for the platform) to industrial-strength tools such as Final Cut Pro.

Most run only on OS X. (The Windows versions of iTunes, Safari, and QuickTime are okay, but Apple does its best work on its own operating system and hardware.)

7. The Apple Store's Geniuses rock

Buy a Mac, and you qualify for free in-person technical support from a patient rep with a deep knowledge of your system. I've had Geniuses do everything from reinstall my OS to replace broken keys on the spot.

Microsoft has announced plans to train 'Windows Gurus' to provide similar customer care at other retailers; it's worth trying, but there's no way it's going to replicate the Genius experience.

There are simply too many PCs from too many companies running too many variations on Windows for any one person to be an expert on everything.

8. Hey, Macs are PCs

By which I mean that Leopard's Boot Camp feature - and better yet theParallels Desktop and VMware Fusion virtualisation utilities - let you run Windows, and Windows applications, on a Mac.

I'm listing this last because I ultimately see running Windows on a Mac as a last resort: it's usually not necessary, and it degrades some of the other virtues of the Mac, such as protection from Windows security risks. But when it's valuable, it's really valuable.

New Poll Question!!

In light of the recent debate that we had here at VANTAGE on the current console war between Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo, we have decided to relate our new "Poll Question" on the matter.

With so many new games set to be released this year, we would like to know you guys' opinion on which console you think will dominate this year. Some have said that this could be the PS3's year, and some have disagreed! So head on over to the "Poll Segment" and give us your opinion!

Here at VANTAGE, we are very neutral between all 3 consoles. While the only system I own is the PS3, I don't in any way feel like the 360 is lower in quality. It's just that right now, the games I prefer are on the PS3, so please, no personal attacks! We would appreciate your opinions tho.

For those who are interested to read Ersh's post on the matter, click HERE

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PS3, arguably the best system to date?

There has been so much talk on in the gaming industry today about the console wars, and the Playstation 3, after the insurmountable success of the PS2, has been very lackluster. Yes, on paper, its been a great let down for Sony, a loss for every console sold, wiping out the PS2's profits, but at the end of the day, which is THE BEST console on the consumer's side of things, for us?

....Here at Vantage, its the PS3 hands down!



Sure sure, the Nintendo Wii has been the top grosser out of the 3, with Microsoft's Xbox 360 in a far 2nd and the PS3 in dead last. But as a consumer, as the gamer, who cares about those numbers?! As long as we're getting quality games and the bang for our buck in our systems, we're happy. I know I'm probably going to get a lotta ish for all this, but here we go...

So lets tackle some of the main arguements here, and lets start with one of the main purchasing points, PRICE. Taken from Toysrus.com, here's the break down...

Playstation 3 (80GB) - $399
Xbox 360 (Elite) - $399
Nintendo Wii - $249



The PS3 and the X360 both go for $399, while the Wii is considerably cheaper... but why? Lets face it, the Wii has nothing. Old tech, no Blu-Ray or HD, no hard disk, its basically a PS2 with funky controllers! Im sorry, buts its garbage for what it comes with, so Nintendo, your out, simple as that. With the format wars (Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD) long decided, and Blu-Ray coming on top, the 360 is now on old technology as well. For the same price, you already get a Blu-Ray player in the PS3. You can argue that you can always just buy a Blu-Ray player, yes, but that would be at least another $150 bucks, so you're already losing with regards to price. Another agrument would be that the Elite has more hard disk space and indeed it does, but gamers today arent like those in yesteryear, changing a hard disk in a PS3 is easy peazy. For roughly the $150 a 360 player spends for a Blu-Ray player, they can already buy a 1TB hard disk for their PS3. 1TB vs 120GB? Not even a contest!




The PS3's demographics are the older gamers, (around 16+) but lets not underestimate the younger gamers of today. They are much more educated in these things now than we were at their age. Some argue that the young population is growing or is bigger than our generation, but I disagree. Let's not forget the baby boom and those born in the 80's where games never die. Yes we are going through an economic crisis and some may say the 360 or the Wii are much more friendly to the pocket, and theyre right... at first glance. But when you look deeper, Sony was so far ahead of our time that we didnt realize how much was packed in the PS3. We didnt need all those features before and thus, Sony did cut down on some optical slots, but now that we've caught up, we realize that they were all there for a reason. The 360 Elite does come with HDMI, backwards compatibility, a headset and an ethernet port, but the lower end ones don't come with jack! No HDMI, no WiFi, tiny hard disk space. I mean, cmon, how can you not have WiFi?! The PS3 has and had all of these from the get go. Though the PS3 took out its backwards capability, who really needs it? Half the world has a PS2 and the original Xbox was CRAP anyway! The PS3 an all in one entertainment device. All you need is a TV and your PS3 and your entertainment area is done! Oh, and did I mention the rumored PS3 price cut? Sony has denied these rumors, and we'll probably have confirmation in the next month, but if it were true, if the PS3 shoots down to $300, how can the others even compete with what it has as well as the lower price? MS, are you scared yet? And for those, like THIS DOUCHE, saying the PS3's rumored price cut isnt going to make a difference, umm... are you stupid? $50 bucks more than a Wii, $50 cheaper than a 360, how can it not?! ... especially with the games coming out in '09.

So how bout games? For me, thats the greatest selling point a console has, its exclusives. The PS3 did start slow, promising this and that and not delivering. They definitely lost out and with MS buying out a lot of their exclusives, (Gran Theft, Final Fantasy, Resident Evil etc...) and adding their own such as Forza, Gears of War and Halo among others. MS started great, started on top. But Sony is slowly catching up only now in 2009. Will this year be Sony's year? Yes, I believe it will. Big name exclusives are finally hitting the PS3, starting out with Killzone 2 (which is out now), Gran Turismo 5, Uncharted 2, God of War 3, Heavy Rain, Tekken, Infamous and more! My theory on this is that it was rumored that the PS3 was incredibly hard to work with at first, (remember, Sony was ahead of our time!) but now they've gotten the hang of it and we are reaping the rewards!

Now, with games that are present on the same console such as newly released Street Figher IV and Resident Evil, Sony's versions are toppling over the 360's. But hey, like I said, lets keep this about the gamer. PS3 arguably has better graphics, if not, they have so much more potential. Game developers are looking to make games in the large scale, offering the gamer huge backdrops, arenas, cities, etc... and as consumers, we are demanding for such. The HD-DVD that the 360 uses will just not cut it anymore. To my knowledge, (please correct me if im wrong) HD-DVD's can hold 20gb of space, while Blu-Ray's can hold up t0 80gb of space! What about dual sided Blu-Rays?! You get the picture.

Today, with games comes the importance of multiplayer/online. Gamers arent content anymore with games from start to finish, they want replayability. Take Call of Duty 4 as an example, one of the best FPS games of all time, I didnt even play the single player campaign at all, but I played multiplayer for a good year! PS3's online modes are FREE. Yes, FREE! 360, you have to subscribe and pay a monthly/yearly fee. Umm... do I really have to explain this? You might be thinking, how bout the Wii? Well, that again is junk. Games are childish and yes, they have sold the most consoles, but you must admit, it was a phase. Everyone was taken aback by the controls and so was I (I have all 3 consoles). But in recent polls, it was shown that most people who have bought the Wii are now just using it for display purposes, collecting dust, which includes mine, just another piece of furniture. And have you tried playing a game online on the Wii? L-A-G! It's also rare to find a game to play online in the first place!

What else can we discuss? We've took on the price, what the consoles come with, games, online play, what more is there? How about things are shallow as looks? Sure this can be extremely relative, but personally, the PS3 outshines its competitors (and yes, it SHINES!). It is bigger, but not by much compared to the dated looking 360. Special edition version of the PS3 console have also been something to look at! From white to black, matte to shiny, some with graphics and designs etc... The Wii, yes its cute and small, but not when you attach all the wires behind it.

So at the end of the day,
what console gives you more bang to your buck? ...the PS3
what console has free online play? ...the PS3
what console is going to dominate when it comes to games? ...the PS3

and what console is the best? ...the PS3. NO DOUBT!

FIGHT!!!: Microsoft Vs. Sony. No Blu-ray??

Those with hopes for native Blu-ray support in Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7 operating system should flush them down the shitter because there has been confirmation the new OS won't play Blu-ray movies out of the box. Blu-ray support in Windows 7 will be provided by "PC makers or BRD drive makers," according to Steven Sinofsky, senior vice president of the Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group at Microsoft, in a statement published by windows7center.com.

Just as with Windows XP and DVDs, Blu-ray playback under Windows 7 will require the installation of third party media suites such as CyberLink's PowerDVD or Corel's WinDVD. By refusing to licence the Blu-ray playback decoder for Windows 7, Microsoft is pushing the costs onto PC makers who will generally obtaining Blu-ray licenses bundled with Blu-ray drives.

Microsoft backed the doomed HD DVD format in the high definition format war which saw the Sony-backed Blu-ray format emerge victorious. Windows has not completely turned its back on the format, with Windows 7 offers the ability to read and burn Blu-ray data discs.

Is Microsoft that little kid with a bad attitude, not supporting Blu-ray because of its main console competitor, Sony? Who knows, but this does put Microsoft in a bad light in my book and on the losing side of the battle. You have to adapt. Right now, Apple is making its mark over MS with its incredibly superior Operating System, thus basically making Apple a better software manufacturer with respects to that. And now, game producers want more space to produce their games and HD-DVD just doesn’t cut it anymore. MS, you really do need to move on and just accept the new, just like Sony knows that iPod’s reign supreme in the music player industry, thus actually making iPod compatible components and even peripherals. Pride is a terrible thing MS, and if you continue your selfish ways then SEE-YA!

The Top 10 Most eBayed Gadgets Of 2008

This list has no reference to worldwide sales whatsoever.

But according to eBay, the Nintendo Wii was the most purchased product this year.

No surprise there. Nintendo really hit it off with this console. Their sales were definitely through the roof with this one.

Here's the full list:

1. Nintendo Wii: 2,056,866 related items sold
2. Microsoft Xbox360: 1,297,903 related items sold
3. Sony PSP: 350,591 related items sold
4. iPod Touch: 281,361 related items sold
5. Nintendo Wii Fit: 266,584 related items sold
6. Apple iPhone 3G: 212,837 related items sold
7. BlackBerry Pearl: 207,688 related items sold
8. BlackBerry Curve: 193,788 related items sold
9. Sony Playstation 3: 103,333 related items sold
10. Guitar Hero III: 98,159 related items sold

If you look at the list carefully, I think you guys would agree with me when I say that everyone seems to be enjoying their fair share of video games!! Guys guys, I think gaming is lots of fun, but I'd suggest a few hours of exercise too! Don't want all the gamers in the world to be overweight right? K, hope the post was interesting, I'll post again soon! I'm off to playing my PS3! I'm out!

For those who want to view further down the list, visit CrunchGear!

What do you think? Comment!

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Microsoft's new clothing line!

My guess is that Microsoft is finally starting to feel the pressure from Apple with all its coolness factor. First they started to battle back with those Gates/Seinfeld spots (which I actually haven't seen, though nothing beats the Mac ads), and now they're trying to further push that they're just as hip and cool by starting its own clothing line called Softwear. Pretty nifty name if you ask me!

I love smart-ass and retro-inspired Graphic Tee's and I think Microsoft may have hit the nail on the head with their line! Drawing inspiration from the 80's when Microsoft "came to age," coupled with nerdy, yet cool, DOS wording and retro computer ish... thats what its all about! In this day and age, its the nerds who rule the world! I'd definitely rock these T's when their available, which should be mid-December.

Will Apple strike back? I hope so, cuz whats better than Microsoft 80's T's? Apple ones of course!

BMW Incorporates "Surface"

In light of Mastermind Gio's Oakley customization post, I thought I'd post something very similar, but way cooler! Hahahaha! Sorry G.

Nowadays, customizing your kicks, your shades, you clothing has never been easier! Heck, yo can do all this online and never have to leave your seat!! Today BMW joins the party! And no, I'm not talking about customizing your own beemer or anything like that! I'm talking about picking out the beemer for you by just using the Microsoft Surface! Let me shed some light for those still in the dark!

BMW is now using the Microsoft Surface tech to make shopping for a car a little easier. You can literally view all the specs you need to know, pick out the design and size of your rims, and even choose the color of your interior and exterior by using the interactive swatches. Cool huh?? This software developed by Vectorform for BMW. You'll be able to e-mail the info you gather, or choose to save it on a flash drive right there and then! Oh, and did i mention, you'll be able to compare different models on the screen as well.

I think this is a great idea! It's definitely a big step-up form them brochures most car dealerships still use. It's like they say in the vid, it definitely helps in visualizing what the car will look like! I definitely think more dealerships need to start adopting this idea simply because it makes it easier for the customoers, it makes them more involved with the details, and simply because it's a lot of fun!! So if any of you live in Germany, and is a rich bastard, head over to BMW now and try this out!! Let VANTAGE know what it's like!!

What do you think? Comment!

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Microsoft SecondLight

"This Is So Going In My Blog,"

Microsoft recently announced their Microsoft SecondLight. For those who haven't heard, the SecondLight is similar to their recently released Microsoft Surface, but with a little added something of course. Microsoft released explanations of how this new product would be used, but released very little visual aides, so no one knew for sure what this was gonna be like. Well, they've finally released a vid showing everyone what they have in store for us.

The SecondLight is basically a dual-projection image. Now for those who didn't understand that, what it means is that, the table basically acknowledges where it's being touched, and projects a second alternate image. Sorta like magic. If you guys still don't get what I'm saying, then just watch the frikkin' vid. Hahahaha! 

All I can really say about Microsoft's latest creation is, "D-a-y-u-m" This thing is crazy. I mean, it looks really complicated to me right now, but I'm sure that once you learn to work this contraption, it'll definitely be really useful, and lots of fun.

What do you think? Comment!

"True Story"

Microsoft "Surface" Surfaces!

"This Is So Going In My Blog,"

You may want to sit down for this post. Microsoft has developed a new device that utilizes multi-touch technology to manipulate digital content using hand gestures or physical objects. This device is called, "Microsoft Surface." Initial customers will be hospitality businesses such as hotels, restaurants, etc. The preliminary launch was on April 17, 2008, when it became available for customer use at AT&T stores.

Surface" allows non-digital objects to be used as input devices. An example is an ordinary paintbrush being used to create a digital painting on the "Surface."

The "Surface" also reacts to items touching it by reflecting light. Objects like coffee mugs, pens, water drips, etc.

Units have laready been shipped out to Australia, and should be hitting other countries as well. These babies go for about $5000.00-10,000, so if any of you have that much, go get one....NOW!! What are you waiting for?

Here are some pics:

Microsoft.....

....Surface!!

What do you guys think? Comment!!

For more info: Engadget.com

"True Story"